Automatic brake



N0. 620,|53 Patented Feb. 28, |899. V. LAUEH &. F. C. KLUSSNER.

AUTOMATIC BRAKE.

(Application led Aug. 29, 1898.)v

(No Model.)

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UNITED STATES y PATENT OFFICE- VICTOR LAUER AND FREDERICK C. KLOSSN ER,YOF LITTLE BERGER,

MISSOURI.

AUTOMATIC BRAKE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 620,153, dated February28, 1899.

Application E led August 2 9 1 898.

To all whom t may concern:

Be it known that we, VICTOR LAUER and FREDERICK CHARLES KLossNER,citizens of the United States, residing at Little Berger, in the countyof Gasconade and State of Missouri, have invented certain new and usefulImprovements in Automatic Brakes; and we do hereby declare the followingto be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention,

such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains tomake and use the same.

This invention relates to automatic vehiclebrakes, and is in the natureof an improvement upon the construction disclosed in Letters Patent No.601,127, granted March 22, 1898, to A. G. Dahl and Victor Lauer, thelast-named party being one of the parties hereto.

The primary object of the present invention is to make provision in abrake of the character set forth in said patent, whereby the brake-shoesmay be thrown out of operation when it is desired to back the team. Inthe construction hereinafter set forth the holding back of the animalswill automatically apply the brakes, the same as in the patenthereinabove referred to, the improvement residing in the particularmeans for allowing the animals to back with the vehicle withoutnecessarily applying the brakes.

The detailed objects and advantages of the invention will appear morefully in the course of the subjoined description.

The invention consists in an automatic vehicle-brake embodying certainnovel features and details of construction and relative disposition ofparts,as hereinafter fullyset forth, illustrated in the drawings, andincorporated in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure l is a side elevation, partly insection, of a sufticient portion of a vehicle to illustrate theapplication of our improved brake mechanism thereto. Fig. 2 is a detailperspective view of the rear portion of the brake-rod and the crank-armon the brake-shaft connected to said brake-rod. Fig. 3 is a detailperspective View of the foot-lever and its connections. Figs. 4 and 5are detail ing-brackets.

views of the support- Serial No. 689,805. (No model.)

Similar numerals of reference designate corresponding parts in all theviews.

Referring now to the drawings, 1 designates a clip which is secured tothe tongue or shafts of a vehicle, the same having its rear endbifurcated to receive the slotted forwardlyextending arm 2 of theelbow-lever 3, the remaining upright arm of which is provided with aseries of openings 4 to receive the forward end of the brake-rod 5. Abolt or suitable connection 6 extends through the bifurcated end of theclip 1 and also through the slot in the elbow-lever and works in theslot so as to afford the necessary play during the operation of thelever and to compensate for the rise and fall and play of the tongue orshafts. The elbow-lever is supported and fulcrumed at its elbow upon abolt 7, passed through the forward bifurcated end of the arm or bracket8, the rear end of which is forked, as indicated at 9, and bolted to theaxle.

The brake-rod 5 is slidingly mounted in a sleeve 10, connected pivotallyto a hanger 11, the arms of which may be connected in any suitablemanner to the bolster or other convenient part of the running-gear. Therod 5 operates with a pushing action in arearward direction to apply thebrakes and is provided in front of the sleeve 10 with a universal joint12 for the purpose of accommodating the upward anddownward movement ofthe tongue or shafts, as well as the swinging of the front axle inturning corners.

The push-rod 5 extends rearwardly to a point adjacent to the rear axle,where it is connected by means of parallel links 13 to a pendentcrank-arm 14, adjustablysecured fast upon the rock-shaft 15, forming thebrakeshaft. This brake-shaft is journaled in suitable hangings on thevehicle-body or runninggear and is provided at its ends with dependingextensions, to which are connected brakeshoes 16 for application to therear wheels of the vehicle. The crank-arm 14 is provided with ahorizontal elongated sleeve or loop 17, carrying binding-screws 18 ateach side of the vertical line of the crank-arm, whereby said crank-armmay be adjusted longitudinally of thebrake-shaft and held rigidlythereon.

IOO

Y the animals are exerting a backward pressure on the brake-rod.

In order to enable the driver or operator to break the joint, we providea foot-lever 19, which is fulcrumed at 2O at a point intermediate itsends on a hanger or bracket 21 secured to the vehicle-body. Thefoot-lever is provided at its rear end with an enlarged loop 22, whichembraces the brake-rod near its rear end. Connected pivotally to theforward end of the foot-lever is the stem or plunger of a foot-piece orpresser-foot 24, located upon the floor of the vehicle and upheldnormally by means of a spiral spring 25, surrounding the stem or plungerand interposed between the floor of the vehicle and the pressenfoot.

By the foregoing description it will be seen that in going downhill thebrakes will be automatically applied by the vehicle running forwardtoward the animals and the resistance of the animals to the forwardprogress of the vehicle. When the vehicle is standing upon level groundand it is desired to back the team, the operator or driver depresses theforward end of the foot-lever and breaks the joint near the rear end ofthe brake-rod. This allows the animals to back the vehicle withoutoperating the brake-shaft to apply the brake-shoe to the wheels.

We, of course, do not desire to limit ourselves to the exact details ofconstruction and arrangement of parts hereinabove set forth, but reserveto ourselves the right to modify and vary the construction within thescope of this invention.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new, and desiredto be secured by Letters Patent, is

1. In an automatic vehicle-brake which is adapted to be applied by ltheresistance of the animals to the forward movement of the vehicle, abrake-rod provided with a break-joint, and a foot-lever connected tosaid rod for enabling the driver to break the joint, substantially asdescribed.

2. In an automatic vehicle-brake, designed to be applied by theresistance of the animals to the forward movement of the vehicle, thecombination with a rock-shaft carrying brakeshoes and provided with acrank-arm, of a brake-rod connected to said crank-arm, and a break-jointat or near the connection of the brake-rod with said crank-arm,substantially as described.

3. In an automatic vehicle-brake designed to be applied by theresistance of the animals to the forward movement of the vehicle, thecombination with a rock-shaft carrying brakeshoes and a crank-arm, of abrake-rod, parallel links pivotally connecting said brakerod andcrank-arm, and a stop-plate forming a heel extension of the brake-rodand coperating with said links, substantially as described.

4. In an automatic vehicle-brake designed to be applied by theresistance of the animals to the forward movement of the vehicle7 thecombination with a brake-shaft havin g brakeshoes and a crank-arm, of abrake-rod connected to said crank-arm, a break-joint near the point ofconnection of said rod with the crank-arm, and a foot-lever connected tosaid rod in such manner as to enable the joint thereof to be broken,substantially as described.

5. In an automatic vehicle-brake, the combination with a brake-shafthaving brakeshoes and a crank-arm, of a brake-rod connected to saidcrank-arm and having a breakjoint near the crank-arm, and a foot-leverhaving a loop encircling the brake-rod adjacent to the brake-shoe,substantially as described.

In testimony whereof we afiix our signatures in presence of twowitnesses.

VICTOR LAUER. F. C. KLOSSNER.

Witnesses:

CONRAD RUEDIGER, HERMANN BENsING, Jr.

